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Astros camp report
KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Five things to know about the Houston Astros:
1. These won't be the familiar, stay-back-and-wait-for-the-big-knock Astros. Among the changes are installing speedy center fielder Michael Bourn in the leadoff slot and swift second baseman Kaz Matsui in the two hole. "We haven't had speed like this here in six or seven years," catcher Brad Ausmus says. "Probably since before some players here started getting old and slow."
2. New manager Cecil Cooper has wasted little time forging an imprint on the Astros this spring. "I think he's going to do a lot more things, managing-wise," ace Roy Oswalt says. "I think we're going to hit-and-run more, bunt more, be more aggressive overall. He's got a real good demeanor as far as temperament. He's more of a teacher."
3. It's time left-hander Wandy Rodriguez stepped up. The Astros last summer ranked 12th in the NL with a 4.68 ERA. The starters were 10th with a 4.71 ERA and the bullpen was 14th at 4.69. Everybody in Astros camp says Rodriguez has the stuff to be a front-line starter, but the wait is going on four years now. The lefty went 9-13 with a 4.58 ERA last summer -- the best ERA of his career in the bigs. With Brandon Backe returning from elbow surgery and Woody Williams 41, someone must step up. "Oswalt is in the front of the rotation, and it looks like our bullpen will be strong with Jose Valverde (47 saves in Arizona last year)," Ausmus says. "We certainly need two-three-four to keep us in games. You look at us on paper, we'll probably score some runs. If we get pitching, I think we could do very well in the division."
4. It was an auspicious debut for catcher J.R. Towles last September, especially when he set a franchise record with eight RBI on Sept. 20 against St. Louis. He has been named No. 1 on Houston's list of top prospects by Baseball America, and the Society for American Baseball Research figured out that no player had collected eight RBI in a game more quickly than Towles in baseball history. Now he's ticketed to become Houston's No. 1 catcher -- assuming he doesn't give the job back between now and the end of the spring. "I have no concerns," Cooper says. "Everything he's been billed to be, he is. You always have reservations. He's only played 14, 15 games in a major-league uniform. But from every indication I've seen, he can handle it."
5. Cooper's key to the spring? Make sure all of these new parts fit together by the time the Astros open in San Diego on March 31. "Get together as a team. Be a team," Cooper says. "Because we have so many different pieces, we need to make sure we pull them all together. That's the biggest key. Make sure the staff comes together, too."